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Description

This Cathedral, named after the “holy” feature in the centre of the main crag, is a rare find for Sydney suburban climbing. Firstly, it's 25 meters high and the rock is not your average Sydney sandstone which makes for some variety. Secondly, the weird location, the tall trees and the huge mosquitoes give this place a Jurassic Park adventurer like feeling.

People, including Joe Friend, were known to have climbed here way back in the 1970's but in the most part it went underneath the radar. In 1990 two puny teenagers, Kent Heffernan and Graham Fairburn unearthed the place establishing many of the classics. They soon attracted the sharks, Dave Barnes and Mike Law and his band of merry men (and women). Bruce Stevens and his local crew also were working on some hard projects here. There are some wicked cracks to jump on and some technical face and slab routes sprinkled throughout. My favorites are Ozone Action (17) and Hercules (22). There is also a slabby bouldering area on the walk in, described in the SRC guide (below).

There is now a good access route from Menai at the top. P.S. Sorry fella’s, I lost the padlock key to the bracket on Jaded Cravings (23) Doh. However, the padlock does add character to the climb. Have fun.
Barnsey

Routes are described right to left as you face the crag.

There is a more up to date guide on:-http://routes.sydneyrockies.org.au/confluence/display/nswrock/The+Cathedral

There is easy access to all the sites with an average walking time from car to cliff being under five minutes! To get the Shire drive south towards Wollongong from the Sydney CDB or take the Heathcote Road if coming from the South West. West Sydney climbers can approach aiming for Menai. Alternatively, take the train. Some areas in national parks are off limits and permission may be sought for crags such as the Wok, Heathcote Bridge and Alford's Point.

Approach

Park at the end of Shackel Rd, Bangor. Please don't fill up the street and block access for locals. If there are a few cars about then park 50m further up the hill. Locate the track heading down into the bush on the left. It is marked with tape and first heads across the shallow gully, then turns right and heads down through a little rock band. Veer right at the cliff and down and gully then left. The first route is the little corner of Sorcerer's Apprentice.

Up seam right of 'Head Injuries' and up arete to join 'Surface Paradise'. A few weird moves to a sloping ledge above the 3rd Ubolt. The fin on the left side of the ledge is on. Stay on the right side of the arete above to join SP at the break..

Mostly easy bridging up a hand and fist crack (or add thin roof crack start). Take (age/10) each of yellow and blue camalots, 2 hex 10s are handy too. Crack corner between TDD and JC, either step off block or crank thin crack start. Easilyto roof and a move, then up to final juggy chimney.

Was always hard for 23 for a move, then easy slabbing to the top. Pre-clipping the anchor with a sling loses 2 grades, and all your self-respect. From the double RB's on 'Hercules', blast up, 2 RB's to double RB lower off (rebolted 2008)

Streno thrash, great fun. Essential before a trip to Frog Buttress or Yosemite.The crux section had previously been done as part of The Shute. Medium wires, finger to hand cams and a fist cam above the thread and one for the top chimney.

A route on its own and the final meters of 'The Shute'. Probally a bit of a pain to get to. Rap in from trees on top of cliff and climb out. " I would not trust the old rusty carrots for the hanging belay, but there are some new RBs you could setup a hanging belay with some slings of different sizes. " 3 RB to Double RB lower off. Nice and airy up there.

If you like this sort of thing, this is the sort of thing you'll like. A classic with exposed climbing on good holds with 'sporting' pro, but there are a few chimney moves so long pants recommended. The obvious chimney to the right of The Cathedral cave. Up then use jugs on right arete. Above chokstone/roof thing, step around left arete and up to lower off. Technically easy but pretty out there, better to be overgraded than a sandbag I suppose....

Start in the corner crack 1 m Right of Get out of Town. Follow this up and over a bulge to the pea pod. Move right and clip the chain on IG then right again to join line on new RBs to top off cliff and double RB lower off.

Another wall finish to the 2 cracks, one very funky move...
Start up Vitez or GOOT to pod, right a move to Inchworm Groove anchor then climb the wall a metre R of wide crack (Vitez DF) past 3 carrots (from VDF) to single U lower off.

This one is for the hard nuts,it was once the hardest trad line in shire, and possibly NSW. Start: Below the thin seam, tenuous moves up the groove to lower off chain at half height or easily to top up anything nearby. Take small gear.

Sydney Classic at the grade! Rebolted in 2006, but still not a sport route. Start: Below the obvious water groove / flake feature. Follow the flake line / water groove past a couple of RBs, sling the top of the feature and take a well earned rest. Blast up to top past a run out section (gear possible no3 and 1.5 friends) then clip another RB on the way to shared lower off with CF (or top out and rap off the big tree).

Excellent climbing finishing in strange laybacking up a runnel. Once again, almost a sport climb if you carry a sling for the big jug above the second bolt on OA. As for OA for 10m (past 2 RBs and a sling runner). Then move left (bolt) and straight up the thin slab above, move left to lower off.